Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

षड्विंशद्भिस्तपस्तप्तं क्षेत्रे प्राभासिके शुभे । गौरी साऽराध्यमानाथ दिव्यवर्षगणान्बहून्

Transliteration

ṣaḍviṃśadbhistapastaptaṃ kṣetre prābhāsike śubhe | gaurī sā'rādhyamānātha divyavarṣagaṇānbahūn

Translation

In the auspicious Prabhāsa-kṣetra, they performed austerities for twenty-six (years). There, Goddess Gaurī was worshipped unceasingly for many divine years.

Word by Word

• षड्विंशद्भिः: by twenty-six
• षड्विंशद्भिः: Karana (Instrumental/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षड्विंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — ‘by/with twenty-six (persons/units)’; द्विगु-समास (षट् + विंशत्)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘austerity/penance’ (here as object with तप्तम्)

• तप्तम्: was performed (as penance)
• तप्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु) → तप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘performed/undertaken (as penance)’

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred place
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — ‘in the field/holy place’

• प्राभासिके: of Prabhāsa
• प्राभासिके: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राभासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — ‘Prābhāsika (belonging to Prabhāsa)’ (qualifying क्षेत्रे)

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — ‘auspicious’ (qualifying क्षेत्रे)

• गौरी: Gaurī
• गौरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘Gaurī’

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘she’

• आराध्यमाना: being worshipped
• आराध्यमाना: Kriya (Participial predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु) → आराध्यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (present passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘being worshipped/propitiated’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनन्तर्य निपात — ‘then/thereupon’

• दिव्यवर्षगणान्: many divine years (in number)
• दिव्यवर्षगणान्: Karma (Extent/measure as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्यवर्षगण (प्रातिपदिक; दिव्य + वर्ष + गण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (दिव्यानि वर्षाणि तेषां गणाः) — ‘groups of divine years’

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — ‘many’ (qualifying दिव्यवर्षगणान्)

Speaker

Narrator (within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Varānanā (frame listener)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In Prabhāsa’s auspicious precincts, Soma’s wives perform austerities for twenty-six years, worshipping Gaurī unceasingly across many divine years.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Gaurī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady tapas and sustained pūjā at a tīrtha ripen into divine grace, showing the Purāṇic ideal of perseverance in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Prabhāsatīrtha region), celebrated in the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa as an auspicious sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse emphasizes tapas (austerity) and ārādhanā (devotional worship) of Gaurī at Prabhāsa over an extended period.